Damitha Saluwadana

Damitha Turlin Fernando (born 18 September 1948 – died 27 November 2015 as දමිතා සළුවඩන) [Sinhala]), popularly as Damitha Saluwadana, was an actress in Sri Lankan cinema, stage drama and television.[1][2] She played "Asilin" in the television serial Kopi Kade. She had acted in more than 300 stage plays, 200 television serials and 25 films.[3]

Damitha Saluwadana
දමිතා සළුවඩන
Born
Damitha Turlin Fernando

(1948-09-18)September 18, 1948
Colombo, Sri Lanka
DiedNovember 27, 2015(2015-11-27) (aged 67)
Colombo
NationalitySri Lankan
Other namesAsilin
EducationKaragampitiya Methodist School
OccupationActress, Dubbing artist
Years active1966–2015
Spouse(s)Wasantha Saluwadana
Children1
RelativesDon Sirisena

Personal life

She was born on 18 September 1948 as the youngest child in a family with five siblings.[4] She completed education from Karagampitiya Methodist School. Her elder sister's husband, Don Sirisena was a popular comedian in early Sinhala cinema. She was married to Wasantha Saluwadana and the couple had one daughter, Venushka.[5] Venushka is married to Amila Prasad Silva. Damitha's cousin son Chanaka Fernando is also an actor.[4]

Saluwadana suffered from diabetes for 29 years. When her diabetes was controlled by medication, her kidneys had unknowingly been a side effect.[5] She died on 27 November 2015 at the age of 67. Her remains were kept in Boralesgamuwa Florists in Boralesgamuwa on 28 November 2015. Funeral took place on Thumbowila burial grounds.[6]

Career

At the age of 7 she started to study Manipuri, Kandyan and Low country at the school under Sirimathi Rasadari and Grayson Fernando. Her first stage play was Mulaawa produced by her elder brother, Cyril Fernando. Later, she was seen in the cast of King Elara in a drama by the Tower Hall Foundation.[4]

In 1966, she made debut cinema acting through the film Hangi Hora under the guidance of Rohini Jayakody at the age of 18 under the guidance of cousin Don Sirisena. Then in 1968, she started to act in stage plays Dasa Dahasak and Raththaran.[7] She later joined the Wallis drama group and was a frequent actor in the Vesak dramas. During this period, she started to act in the plays Apuru Yaluwo and Yakada Sapaththu.[5]

Later, Saluwadana has acted in many popular stage plays including, Siwamma Dhanapala, Sergeant Nallathambi, Baba Nona and Baisage Wadiya.[6] Her maiden television acting came through Sudda Hami directed by Chandraratne Mapitigama.[5] Often she was portrayed as a mother or aunt in cinema as well as in television.[4]

She rendered his voice as a dubbing artist in many popular television serials such as Shanthi, Swabhiman, Rosa Achchi and Sujatha Diyaniya.[7] She joined with Kopi Kade television serial in 1997. Her role as "Asilin" became highly popularized among the public and she was usually known by her character name rather than real name. She continued to act in the serial for 13 consecutive years until her death.[8]

Selected television serials
  • Denuwara Manike [9]
  • Diriya Doni
  • Ethuma
  • Hiru Kumari
  • Hoduwawa [10]
  • Kadulla
  • Keetaya
  • Isuru Sangramaya
  • Kopi Kade
  • Neela Palingu Diya
  • Nonavaruni Mahathvaruni
  • Paalama
  • Pabalu
  • Sabanda Babanis
  • Sara
  • Subha Prabha
  • Sundara Pemanis

Filmography
YearFilmRoleRef.
1995Aege WairayaIndrani's aunt
1996Naralowa HolmanDonna Isabella
1997Aege Wairaya 2
1997Ragaye Unusuma
1997Pemmal Mala
1998Mohothin Mohotha
1999Seetha Ra
2000Hansa Vilapaya
2001Kinihiriya MalBrothel handler[11]
2002BahubuthayoDewala chanter[12]
2002SathkampaMudalali's wife[13]
2002Somy BoysBean's mother[14]
2003Sudu KaluwaraArachchi's wife[15]
2005Meedum Wasanthe
2010Sara
2013Ran Kevita 2Sundari amma[16]
2013Raja Horu[17]
2014ParawarthanaChandare's mother[18]
2015Gindariwoman at clamor[19]
2015Suhada Koka[20]
2015My Name Is BanduNanda[21]
2015Singa Machan Charlie[22]

References
  1. "Damitha Saluwadana films". IMDb. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  2. "Damitha Saluwadana filmography". films.lk. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  3. "Damitha Saluwadana passes away". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  4. "Damitha who left the life". Divaina. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  5. "Kopi Kade Asilin is gone forever". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  6. "Actress Damitha Saluwadana passes away". News First. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  7. "Actress Damitha Saluwadana remembrance". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  8. "Teledrama actress Damitha Saluwadana passes away". Lakhanda News. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  9. "Denuwara Manike". paradisaya. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  10. "Hoduwawa". paradisaya. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  11. "HD: talented film maker". Sunday Times. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  12. "'Bahu Boothayo': a weird comedy". Sunday Times. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
  13. "'Sathkampa' tells of a woman's tragedy". Sunday Times. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
  14. "සිංහල සිනමාවේ එදා මෙදා තිරගත වූ චිත්‍රපට". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 22 February 2017.
  15. "The British Raj and 'Sudu Kaluwara'". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  16. "'Rankevita II': Udayakantha's fifteenth direction". Sunday Times. Retrieved 5 October 2017.
  17. "'Raja Horu' in town". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 24 February 2017.
  18. "Parawarthana". Nfc.gov.lk. Retrieved 2014-02-15.
  19. "Gindari A comedy around a she-devil". Sunday Times. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  20. "Sri Lankan Screened Films". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  21. "බන්දු ත්‍රිත්ව චරිතය මයි නේම් ඊස් බන්දු 30 දා". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 22 February 2017.
  22. "Plot of Ho Gaana Pokuna". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
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